Video Ecards

Sending video ecards with video made from your webcam is the fastest and simplest way to go. So, we want to be sure you and your webcam are ready to make a recording for any occasion!

If this is the first time using your webcam, follow the instructions that came with the webcam to connect it to your computer. Install any software that may be required by the manufacturer of the webcam and make sure it works before trying to use it to make a video e-card. Then follow these easy instructions:

Make sure the webcam is turned ON and pointed at you!

When you are ready to make a Recording you will see a Settings screen like the one shown below. You will have to select the Video and Audio settings separately. You will know it is working when you see yourself in the webcam before you start recording, and when you speak, you should see the sound meter rise and fall when you talk. See the pictures below for each setting.

Set up the Video first. The Settings screen looks like this:

Click on the picture (or tab) of the webcam as shown in the #1 above, then select USB Video Class Video, shown as #2. You should then start to see yourself in the window right away. If you can see yourself, then you are all set! Next, you will set up your microphone.

If you don’t see yourself after you select USB Class Video, you should try the other options in the dropdown list in #2 until you can see yourself. However, MOST of the time, you should select the USB Video option. Some Webcams won’t work with that setting, but will show up as Logitech, or some other manufacturer name. Unfortunately, this sometimes requires trial and error to get working. As soon as you click the Camera option, you should see something happening. If not, try the other settings. Don’t click Close until you can see yourself – keep trying all the options. Once you see yourself, then move on to the Microphone setting.

Click on the Microphone picture (or tab) as shown in the #1 above, then select the name of the device you want to use for sound recording, as shown as #2. As soon as you click the option, you should see the sound meter moving up and down as it detects the sound. If the meter isn’t moving, then it’s not on the right setting. Try the other settings until you see the sound bar moving when you talk.

When you talk, the green bar should go all the way up, just barely into the yellow bars. You should leave it in the middle setting until you try it a few times. If the sound is to loud or too soft, then you should adjust it to your liking. If it goes into the red sometimes, it is too loud and will sound like you are shouting at your recipients! Adjust it down so it just barely goes into the yellow bars, but never into the red bars. If the sound meter never goes into the yellow bars (or barely moves at all), you should move the slider to the right until the meter rises up higher and starts going into the yellow bars. You may have to get closer to the microphone to get good sound as well.

If your webcam has a built-in microphone, it is best to use that. As a last resort, however, you can use the built-in microphone on your computer (if equipped). The sound isn’t as good because the computer’s microphone can be really far away, but if you are having trouble with your webcam mic, it’s better than nothing.

After you try the other settings and you still can’t see or hear yourself, you should make sure your webcam works with the software that came with it. If you can get it to work with the software that it came with, you SHOULD be able to make it work on any of our video ecard sites.

Good luck and happy video e card making!